[I'm feeling generous due to getting my 100th review on this story, I really want to thank all of you because the most I've ever got before is 12 so this is a huge thing for me.] Also is should probably be noted that, while you in no was have to, you might want to go and read Rachy Babes story "Wanted" before reading this as it takes place in between "Something Borrowed" and "From Out Of The Rain" and her character Fawks was in a relationship with Nemo and she'll be popping up a fair amount in the future.

'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter

Christina Aguilera - Fighter

From Out Of The Rain

'Can't believe you're making me do this,' Owen yelled down the phone.

She sighed and looked up at Jack as he came out of his office. 'I'm sorry but Pip's ill and I want to stay with him.'

'Doesn't mean I have to be here,' he complained.

'I want to know what it's like. Ianto will say it was amazing whatever, Gwen will be polite about everything and you'll tell me the bad bits. It's the only way I can get the full scope of things. Besides, you need to get out more now you can't go clubbing every night.'

He hung up. She smirked and set the phone down, glancing in the direction of her room.

'He'll be fine.' Jack told her, as he exited his office. 'Just give him some time to recuperate.

She nodded.

'Coffee?'

Another nod. She watched him stir the liquid in the two cups adding two spoonfuls of sugar to hers and leaving both black. She took the mug gratefully and sipped at it all the while keeping her eyes on him as he picked a file off Tosh's desk and read through. Music floated through the air as her eyes closed and she smiled, when she opened them Jack was staring into space. Hmm? That was odd, didn't he hear the music. She opened her mouth to ask but an answer presented itself immediately. It was most likely stray sound from the TARDIS, maybe the Doctor was taking Donna to a fair or something. She laughed quietly and crossed her legs on the chair. Pip was more important than the TARDIS now, she'd think about it later.

She liked nights like this. When the Hub was quiet and calm. Tosh's shoes made clicking noises on the flooring and Jack was pacing lightly in his office. Winter got out of Toshiko's chair and moved to the corridor by Jack's office, she ran her hand along the wall, listening to the scraping sound it made. Losing Owen had made her appreciate these things more. The quiet moments, not just the adrenaline rushes and the outings. The door swung open without a sound and she approached Pips hammock as quietly as she could. The little monkey was curled in a tight ball shivering slightly and snuffling, but fast asleep. Biting her lip she pulled a warm shirt out of her cupboard and draped it over the sleeping creature. He'd be fine, she knew that but it still upset her to see him like this.

Without a word she left the room and headed back up to the hub, through the twisting corridors and walked smack bang into Jack.

'We're heading out a while.'

She pulled a face and turned to look back at her room.

'He'll be fine, give him some time.'

Still she hesitated, should she really leave him alone? What if he woke up and wanted to see her? Jack had other ideas though. He placed the RAF cap on her head.

'Come on.' Jack took her elbow and lead her on a new path, towards the garage. They hopped into the SUV and Winter buckled her seat belt as Jack pulled out of the base.

'Where are we off to then?' she asked as she straightened the cap.

'The cinema where Ianto is, that's where you come in, you know where he's gone.'

She sighed. 'So what? Are you going to storm in there and sweep him off his feet like a movie, bit Ironic don't you think.'

Jack shot her a smirk. 'As tempting as that sounds we have a building with a history of rift activity and I'm hearing music.'

Winter looked up in shock. 'You did hear it!'

Jack quickly glanced at her and then back at the road as he sped around the corner. 'What? You heard it too!'

'Well yeah, I just figured it was something to do with my head.'

Jack shrugged. 'Well if we both heard it then something's obviously going on.'

They pulled up outside the Electro and both hopped out into the pouring rain, she held onto the tip of the cap as she raced across to the doors. The inside was beautiful, all red and gold with 1920's decorations and an air of childish wonder. She turned and grinned at Jack.

'This is brilliant. Ianto wasn't lying.'

'When do I ever.' She span around to face the three Torchwood members who had just appeared from around the corner. 'Jack can I have a moment.'

Jack nodded and followed Ianto back the way he had come leaving Winter with Owen and Gwen.

'Was it good?' she asked.

Owen snorted but Gwen elbowed him in the side.

'It was… interesting.'

TTT

Winter pulled into Hope street and Jack pointed to the turning. Chain Lane was a smaller road, the lights did nothing to illuminate the street, just left an ethereal glow in the sky. 'How much further?' She asked as Jack checked his manipulator.

'Co-ordinates say about one hundred yards. Stop!'

She pushed her foot down on the break and looked over to Jack's side. A woman sat at the bus stop, her eyes wide open and her mouth dried up. 'Oh my god!' Winter stared at the woman and glanced around the street. Alright it was doubtful anyone would have stuck around after doing something like this but you never knew.

'Epileptic maybe?' Jack asked, hopefully, 'she could be wearing a tag.'

Owen shook his head. 'She isn't.'

'Has she got I.D?' Ianto asked, staring at the woman intently.

Gwen felt around in her jacket pockets and Owen screwed his face up.

'What's wrong?' Jack asked.

'She's got a heartbeat but she's not breathing. Shouldn't really be alive and look at her mouth, she's got no saliva.' Owen ran a finger over the girls deformed chin to substantiate his point. 'Look her lips are cracked, dry as a bone.'

'I take it there's no point in offering her some lip balm?' Winter asked, on the off chance she could be remotely helpful to the situation.

Owen shook his head. 'We need to get her to hospital.'

Winter hopped back into the SUV and turned the heating up. It was getting cold in Cardiff.

'There's a surprise,' she mumbled to herself.

TTT

Two victims and nothing to go on but an old reel of film. Meh, they'd had worse.

Winter reclined on the floor of Jack's office a baby monitor, stolen from the lost and found, clutched in one hand in case Pip woke up. She hadn't stolen it though. That was the surprising thing. It had been left with a typed note on her desk. So she had no clue who had. The note had just stated where the other one was and that they hoped Pip got better.

She ran her free hand through her hair and blinked as the film began to flicker on the screen. A strong man in traditional leopard print, two jugglers with stick on fire, Two clowns with comical hats and noses… 'I knew those two,' Jack suddenly commented. 'They argued day and night.'

Winter twisted her head to stare at him.

'That is you!' Owen suddenly exclaimed.

Winter snapped her head back but the clip was gone. A heavy click sounded behind her and she watched as the tape rewound. Jack Harkness was on the screen. Her eyes widened and she leant forward ever so slightly.

'Right now I've seen everything.' Owen chuckled.

Jack had never mention this to her. She wasn't sure why a pang of annoyance flitted through her when she thought that. There was a tonne of stuff he hadn't told her. Blimey the guy had lived so long they'd be here for the rest of her life if he told her every detail.

'You did stand up?' Gwen asked.

Winter giggled and turned again to look at Jack. He shook his head. 'I never did stand up.'

It sounded as if Gwen could hardly keep laughter at bay as she replied. 'Okay then, a song an' dance.'

'I was sensational,' he joked back.

'I don't believe this Jack. What were you doing there?' Toshiko exclaimed.

'He's part of this freak show.' Owen commented dryly.

'Oh! Some things never change,' Jack retorted.

'Are you being rude about me?'

Winter snorted and stood up to examine the film closer.

'Look at the state of them,' Owen said, smirking.

'But I do love his leotard.' Gwen remarked.

Winter's face fell the moment Jack mentioned the Night Travellers. She bit her lip and listened quietly. Owen and Toshiko looked rather incredulous but she shook her head and broke in.

'I've heard of them.'

Everyone turned to stare at her but she wasn't paying attention, she stared up at the screen and reached out to touch the fabric. The shadow of her hand played in the light as she continued. 'It was like an old fable. A story the older kids told to the younger ones. To stop them wandering off when they lived in the house with us. You know what kids are like though. I was friends with this girl. Just a kid, Dad was a nasty piece of work so I wanted to keep her with us. Wouldn't have worked, police would have found her and the older kids probably would have been arrested for kidnap but, you know, I was a bit wild and independent.'

'Was?' Owen joked.

She heard a smack as if someone had hit his arm but Winter was distracted considering her next words. 'I had an argument with Andy.'

'Who's Andy?' Another smack was administered to Owen.

'My big brother,' she whispered.

She heard a collective intake of breath from the group behind her and wrapped her arms around herself.

'I argued with Andy and I thought I knew better so I convinced Catriona to come with me. Trina would have followed me anywhere, she thought I was god's gift to mankind and I loved it. It was raining and we got halfway down Lloyd George street in the pouring rain when I thought I heard footstep behind us. I'd forgotten Trina was terrified of the dark. Her Dad used to keep her in a dark room, see. She panicked when she heard it and ran for the hills.' Winter waited for Owen's comment about there being no hills in Cardiff but it never came.

'The kids used to say it was the Night Travellers. Scared all the newbies into being careful. Wasn't so much a fairy tale as a code, so the older kids could explain the bad stuff that happens because people suck. I guess if they're real that's where it started though,' she added thoughtfully, sniffing and wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

'What happened to Trina?' Tosh asked.

Winter froze as if she'd just realised they were behind her then turned. They were all watching her solemnly. She looked down at the ground then back up to the screen.

'Raped and beaten to death with a brick. The last time I saw her she was naked, floating out to sea, further and further from the side. Funny, how bright skin can look in moonlight.'

A noise from her hand brought her mind back from the painful memory and she looked down at the baby monitor. 'Pip's awake,' she murmured and walked straight out of the room without looking back.

TTT

Winter emerged less than an hour later after checking up on Pip and getting him some food. He seemed to be on the mend but had wanted to nap again and so Winter decided to re-join the team in the main hub. She wandered in passed Jack's office, rubbing a hand over her forehead as she felt the beginnings of a headache take hold.

'She was picking up the sea,' Gwen explained to Winter, Jack and Ianto as they stood around Tosh's desk.

'In the middle of town.' Owen continued.

Winter frowned and took a look at the screen.

'It's gone now,' Tosh told them all. 'I was getting the sound of waves, seagulls, I could almost smell the O-zone.'

'No other sightings?' Jack asked.

Toshiko shook her head and Jack took in a deep breath. 'What the hell are they up to?' he turned on his heel and entered his office.

Winter glanced at the rest of them before following him inside, trying to look normal. Jack was leaning on his desk looking at the wood, he looked up at her and smiled. 'How's the trooper.'

She nodded. 'Eating.'

'That's good.'

She smiled and crossed her arms across her chest awkwardly. 'Can I have some paracetamol?'

He frowned. 'For Pip?'

'No for me, I've got a headache.'

His frown turned slightly more serious. 'You know how I feel about you and medication.'

'Which is why I'm asking you,' she sighed. 'Rather than going out to get it myself.'

Jack weighed up her argument in his head and watched her carefully. He rounded the desk and sat on the edge, beckoning her closer.

'Are you sure it's not just past feelings coming back to haunt you?'

She looked away but shook her head. 'It was a long time ago Jack, and it wasn't entirely my fault. I didn't kill her.'

'Who did?'

'Her dad. He followed us. Probably would have killed both of us if we hadn't split. He threw her into the water and ran, straight into a policeman a few blocks away. Open and shut.' She smiled. 'But you always knew I'd known people who had disappeared or died. Don't act so surprised.'

Jack nodded towards the team, 'You told them about Andy.'

She shifted, uncomfortably. Jack pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. 'Huh. You are a bit warm,' he commented, 'come on, let's get you some medicine and then we can get to work.'

TTT

'Here we go.' Gwen settled at the conference table. 'Church Stretten 1901, people went missing when a travelling show visited the town and there was one earlier on in 1898. Small village called Wellsfield. These disappearances, there's a lot of old wives tales attached to them through the years: people still alive but been deprived of breath, children being told to hold their breath while a travelling show passes by.'

'Yeah the locals didn't take it seriously. Huntstadon Chronicle, March 1911,' Owen began to reel off the article, "police and doctors were left both bemused and baffled when Mr Alfred Mayes insisted that his dead wife could be brought back to life providing a certain flask could be found.' He reckoned that his wife's last breath had been taken and put in a flask.'

'A silver flask,' Jack confirmed.

Winter watched them pile up the newspaper reports and trail out of the room. Her head still ached and her eyes stung with tiredness but there was no time to sleep. She thought of the two little children lying in the hospital and flashed back to Trina's body, motionless as the black water lapped at her bare skin.

Like the tide her thoughts turned to Fawks. The interdimensional demon woman, shot through the rift months back and now who knows where. She felt older now. Tired more easily and she'd certainly spent more time alone or with Pip. She wasn't kidding herself, she missed Fawks a lot and while the others were doing an excellent job at not mentioning her, there was still a pile of paintings and clothes stashed in the corner of her bedroom and the fancy bow she'd been gifted was wrapped in her sheet because it was almost too painful to touch right now.

'You coming?'

She looked up to see Ianto sticking his head around the door frame.

'Yeah, sorry.' She got up and followed him down the corridor.

'So, you had a brother.'

Winter nodded and hummed in response.

'I never knew that. I mean, you know that, but you've met my sister. I thought it might have come up.'

'He died Ianto. It's not a happy memory.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I know. I'm sorry, I don't mean to snap. I've got a splitting headache.'

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. 'You're a bit warm too.'

Winter laughed.

'What?'

'Jack did exactly the same thing.'

TTT

Jack had a plan. That was always a good sign. The problem was for the plan to work they needed to get inside the theatre and that just wasn't happening. Gwen hammered at the door and the boy began searching his bag for the key.

'Aww! They're back at the house! I could run home and…'

'No,' Jack told him. 'There isn't time. Nemo.'

She glanced his way and looked up at the front of the building. 'The old cinema's sometimes had fire exits on the top, I could…'

Jack nodded and bent down to give her a hand up. 'Go get 'em tiger.'

She groaned as she pulled herself onto the front porch of the theatre. 'Roar,' she joked, sarcastically.

With a great deal of effort she pushed herself to climb the front face, using all her strength. Maybe she was getting too old for this. With one last push she was on the roof and there it was, a small door. It was open, well, who'd be able to get up here except for her, and so she raced down the several flights of stairs to meet up with the team on the other side of the doors.

The lock opened without a sound, something that annoyed Winter after all the effort she'd put into getting to it. Jack pushed through into the hall shooting her a grin which she attempted to return. The sickness was coming back and her arms ached. The boy pushed past them all into the main theatre and there they found his parents, stock still, waiting, watching the screen.

'The circus needs an audience,' Ianto murmured.

They all looked up as the curtains opened and the pipe organ music flowed through the room. Jack ordered the boy's removal from the room and Winter exited the room, holding the door open for Gwen. She watched Owen run up the stairs but the was another door, off to the side. She glanced around wondering if she should stay put, but the door was calling to her. Jack wouldn't be happy if she disappeared, but it might be important and if everyone died he'd be even less happy. She furrowed her brow and ran through the door, pushing past piles of boxes and cleaning products.

The corridor was short, turning off to the right. Like a flash of inspiration she realised, it probably went around the theatre. To the doors next to the stage. Suddenly something came into contact with her feet, she went flying over more boxes and landed in a heap on the floor. She groaned and rolled onto her back looking up at the person looming above her. A woman, pale, blonde, scantily clad, well for the 20's anyway. It must have been her foot that she had tripped over. The girl leaned over her and ran a hand up her arm. Winter shivered at the feel, it was like plastic, but there was something real about it, and slightly wet. Whatever the girl felt like this was not a good time to be lying around. Winter lashed out, flinging a hand at the girls face but she caught it with skill and pushed it to the floor capturing the other one just as easily and leaning in closer.

If Jack was there he probably would have made a smutty comment, to be honest most of the team probably would, including her, but underneath this woman she felt scared yes and un-nerved. The woman suddenly grinned and pressed her lips against Winters but this was no ordinary kiss. Her lungs seemed to spasm, her mouth felt dry and leathery. She could feel her lips crack and her eyes stung because they weren't properly lubricated. She was frozen.

The woman suddenly looked up and without a look back she got up to leave. Winter tried to move, to scream, to blink even. Nothing. It was like she could see out of her body but she couldn't control it. Like she was watching what was happening through a film. She could will the camera to turn around and show her something else but it would only show her what was right in front of it. She felt the niggling warmth, the ethereal energy that she had come to recognise was the warning side of a trip to visit the Doctor, but she fought it off. She couldn't, she had to stay here, she had to survive. She had witnessed what the loss of Owen had done to the team, she would not be the one to put them through that again.

The warm light was getting more insistent, pushing its way towards her eyes and she could see the blackness starting to fade out her view of the ceiling above her. It would be okay. Jack would fix this, he would find the flask and she would be fine. A pulsating, wheezing noise filled her head and she realised that her headache was gone. In fact, ignoring the dryness and the whole, not being able to move thing she felt great, perfectly healthy. If she had could move her eyebrows she probably would have frowned. Instead she took a chance and reached out for the gold light until everything above her was bathed in it and that was when she closed her eyes.

When they re-opened she was lying on the floor of the TARDIS, she could feel the bumps of the grating beneath her and see the tubing and wires hanging from the coral structures. Nervously she tested out her muscles by waggling a finger. When it moved she jumped to her feet and looked around her. This couldn't be good. The Doctor had told her not to push the mental walls blocking the TARDIS link and yet here she was again, stood in the console room when she was pretty sure her body was back in a cinema corridor in Cardiff.

She ran a hand through her hair and looked around for any clue what to do now. She shivered, suddenly very cold, the central column pulsated and she felt a shock to her system like a kick in the chest. Her back hit the floor and when she opened her eyes she was looking up into beautiful blue eyes.

'Yan?'

'Breathe.'

'Holy…' Cut off by coughing she rolled over onto her knees and felt him rub her back. Jack's well-worn shoes right in front of her as he crouched down and pulled her up.

'You ok?'

She nodded, still coughing and leant on her knees. Looking to the side she could see the silver flask grasped in Ianto's hand and the way he was nervously running his fingers over its grooves.

TTT

They were waiting outside. Jack didn't want to let her go alone but she'd asked him to stay behind. She wasn't stupid. She'd seen Owen's car tailing her as she drove to the hospital.

The little boy had been moved to the paediatrics ward, Jack said he'd be fine but it wasn't him Winter was concerned with.

The little girl lay in the hospital gown two sizes too big. She was pale, with long brown hair and a heart shaped face. An angel of eight. The same age as Trina. Winter sat at her bedside and took her hand in her own.

'Why me?' she asked the girl who looked so tiny, swamped against the blue and white sheets. 'Why not you? How do we know what you could have been? I bet you were smart, and funny.'

She paused and looked away, out of the window. 'He's alone now. No mother, no father, no big sister. I know how that feels. Didn't he have more to lose when he lost you?' She sighed and let go of the little girl's hand.

After a moment she stood up and brushed a hand across her pale forehead, kissing it and whispering, 'I'm sorry.'

She turned from the bedside but before she left, looked back at the bed. A sudden feeling of deep responsibility took hold of her heart. Not for the girls death but the responsibility of her job. The weight it came with. She had no doubt that somehow that trip to the TARDIS had helped save her life but that wasn't a gift awarded to anyone else and she had a responsibility to use it wisely and to help. Torchwood suddenly felt a lot less like a fun time with friends and a lot more like a real job. One that mattered and had such far reaching effects. Jack was right, they were working to protect and she wasn't going to forget that again.

Now, she was going to walk out of here a new person because she understood now, that swinging around the hub wasn't what made her who she was or what made her an asset to the team. The people outside and the way she felt for them, and fought for them, that was what defined her.

Outside in the parking lot she smiled at the sun on her face then approached a large blue people carrier. Hidden behind was Owen's sports car and both Jack and Owen got out sheepishly when they realised they'd been made. Winter surprised them both by laughing it off and she walked over to hug Owen.

'Thanks' for the baby monitors for Pip. Next time you're feeling kind, you really don't have to hide it,' she murmured.

He frowned. 'How did you know it was me?'

She smiled and turned towards the SUV, leaving them behind. 'CCTV,' she called back. She heard him open the door of his car and then laughed when she heard him question Jack.

…

'Hey, do you reckon copies of us could escape from that film?'

…

'The Small But Powerful One': Thank you. It's always great to know that people are still discovering this story and like it. There's quite a bit more to come so no need to panic there. I'm really glad to hear from you. If you ever have any idea or questions feel free to ask.

'Rachy Babes': I finished 'wanted!' Loved it! I loved how the ending was so ambiguous, so many people would have had the doctor save her and you left the time continuum in place. Well done you! Pip Bond sound Ace, I sould really give him his own series. I'm glad you agreed with my leaving out 'a day in the death' I did start writing it but it just didn't feel right so I skipped ahead. It's nice to know people understand why. Woooo for Sally's Song! I love Tim Burton and the nightmare before Christmas was a total work of genius. There's a little bit more Winter angst in this chapter but not for the same reason and it doesn't end on a depressing note. The sneak peek BTW looks AWESOME! I can really see Winter and Rachel getting along, especially teasing Jack with all that Inuendo. I get the feeling their shared love/friendship of Ianto would be quite useful for getting along too. I can't wait to read the finished thing!

'Sonotalady': Aww Fred Weasley, I cried so much when he died. I had to get the wedding fairy comment in there, it took me ages to figure out how but I'm glad I did because it grounds you and reminds you of where you are in the ep and it's so much fun. As for protecting Winter, I think she shares your view, although I think she knows that she'll never be as in love with anyone else as she is with Jack and Ianto.

'Iarecharlina': What can I say? Your review honestly made me cry. (with happiness of course) It was so lovely! I love hearing from new reviewers because it reminds me I'm not just writing this for the few who review every chapter. I know exactly how you feel, I sometimes anon. review just so I don't have to sign in. it's not that I don't want to review it's just the trial of having to sign into the damn site! So I'm even more glad you did review. When I started out this story it was a bit of fun, just for me to add in a character who wasn't like me, and wasn't just a pretty face with a funny name. It started out as a, how could I re-write this with someone new. So I consider it the equivalent of getting an Oscar that you watched Torchwood and missed her. I can't count the number of times I've wished to see some of these eps, (or be in them). I'm 17 and almost off to University to do creative writing so words have always been my thing. But I know people who aren't great at English who have written amazing stuff. If anything it just makes it a bit easier for me. Thank you so much for all your praise because it really means a lot to me :) don't worry about not reviewing before, because you have now and it was worded perfectly. Don't worry theres a lot more to come… and no I won't elaborate. I would like to finish by saying that as your dedicated writer I'm very proud that my story is the first you have ever reviewed and I LOVE YOU TOO!

'Aviarianna O Lorien': I'm really glad you like it, I know what you mean with remembering names, it takes me ages to find some stories because all I can remember is a line or the general gist of what happened. So I know how much of a compliment it is that you remembered lol. 4 days! Blimey now that's dedication. Thank you for all your comments.]